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Tuscaloosa, Alabama

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The Black Warrior River at Tuscaloosa in 2004

Tuscaloosa is a city in west central Alabama in the southern United States. On the Black Warrior River, it is the seat of Tuscaloosa CountyTemplate:GR and the fifth-largest city in Alabama with a population of 79,294 (2003 U.S. Census Bureau Estimate). Tuscaloosa is named after the Choctaw chieftain Tuskalusa (which means Black Warrior in that language), who battled and was defeated by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mauvila.

Best known as the home of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa is also the center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for the region commonly known as West Alabama. Tuscaloosa gained national notoriety when what is now Daimler-Chrysler announced it would build its first Mercedes-Benz automotive assembly plant in North America in Tuscaloosa. Nevertheless, the University remains the dominant economic and cultural engine in the city. The city is well-known for all things associated with Southern football.

History

The area at the fall line of what would be later known as the Black Warrior River had long been well known to the various Indian tribes whose shifting fortunes brought them to West Alabama. The river shoals at Tuscaloosa represented the southernmost site on the river which could be forded under most conditions. Inevitably, a network of Indian trails converged upon the place, the same network which, in the first years of the 19th Century began to lead a few intrepid white frontiersmen to the area.

The pace of white settlement increased greatly after the War of 1812, and a small assortment of log cabins soon arose near the large Creek village at the fall line of the river, which the settlers named in honor of the legendary Chief Tuskalusa. In 1817, Alabama became a territory, and on December 13, 1819, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuscaloosa, exactly one day before Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state.

From 1826 to 1846 Tuscaloosa was the capital of Alabama. During this period, in 1831, the University of Alabama was established. The town's population and economy grew rapidly until the departure of the capital to Montgomery caused a rapid decline in population. Establishment of the Bryce State Hospital for the Insane in Tuscaloosa in the 1850s helped restore the city's fortunes. During the Civil War following Alabama's secession from the Union, several thousand men from Tuscaloosa fought in the Confederate armies. During the last weeks of the War, a brigade of Union troops raiding the city burned the campus of the University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, too, suffered much damage from the battle and shared fully in the South's economic sufferings which followed the defeat.

The construction of a system of locks and dams on the Black Warrior River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1890s opened up an inexpensive link to the Gulf seaport of Mobile, stimulating especially the mining and metallurgical industries of the region. By the advent of the 20th Century, the growth of the University of Alabama and the mental healthcare facilities in the city, along with strong national economy fueled a steady growth in Tuscaloosa which continued unabated for 100 years. Manufacturing plants of large firms such as Michelin and JVC located in town during the latter half of the 20th Century. However, it was the announcement of the addition of the Mercedes facility in 1993 that best personifed the new era of economic prosperity for Tuscaloosa.

Geography and Climate

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Tuscaloosa has a total area of 172.8 km² (66.7 mi²). 145.7 km² (56.2 mi²) of it is land and 27.1 km² (10.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 15.68% water, most of which is comprised of Lake Tuscaloosa and the Black Warrior River, which is entirely in the city limits. Tuscaloosa is located at 33°12'24" North, 87°32'5" West (33.206540, 87.534607)Template:GR.

Tuscaloosa is situated on the Black Warrior River approximately 60 miles southwest of Birmingham. The city occupies a unique location of fall line of the Black Warrior River on the boundary between the Appalachian Highland and the Gulf Coastal Plain approximately 311 km (120 mi.) upriver from the river's confluence with the Tombigbee River in Demopolis. Consequently, the geography of the area around Tuscaloosa is quite diverse, being hilly and forested to the northeast and low-lying and marshy to the southwest.

A rare snowstorm paints a winter scene near Lake Tuscaloosa

The area experiences a typical Southern subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. The Gulf of Mexico heavily influences the climate by supplying the region with warm, moist air. During Fall, Winter and Spring, the interaction of this warm, moist air with cooler, drier air from the north along fronts create precipitation. These front usually move from east to west as they track along the jet stream. Notable exceptions occurring during hurricane season where storms may move from due south to due north or even from east to west during landfalling hurricanes. The interaction between low- and high-pressure air masses is most pronounced during the severe weather seasons during the spring and fall. During the Summer, the jet streams flows to the north of the South, and most precipitation is convectional, caused by the warm surface heating the air above.

Winter lasts from mid-December to late-February; temperatures range from the mid-20s to the mid-50s. On average, the low temperature falls at freezing or below about 50 day a year. While rain is abundant (an average 5.09 in. per month from Dec.-Feb.), measurable snowfall is rare; the average annual snowfall is about 0.6 inches. Spring usually lasts from late-February to mid-May; temperatures range from the mid-50s to the low-80s and rainfall amounts average about 5.05 in. (128 mm) per month. Summers last from mid-May to mid-September; temperatures range from the upper-60s to the mid-90s, with temperatures above 100°F (37.8°C) not uncommon, and average rainfall dip slightly to 3.97 in. (101 mm) per month. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early-December, tends to be similar to Spring terms of temperature and precipitation.[1]

The highest temperature to have been recorded at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport was 107.0°F (41.7°C) on July 29, 1952, while the lowest recorded temperature was -1.0°F (-18.3°C) on January 21, 1985. [2]

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000 there are 77,906 people, 31,381 households, and 16,945 families residing in the city. The population density is 534.8/km² (1,385.2/mi²). There are 34,857 housing units at an average density of 239.3/km² (619.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 54.09% White, 42.73% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.40% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 31,381 households out of which 23.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% are married couples living together, 15.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% are non-families. 35.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.22 and the average family size is 2.93.

In the city the population is spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 24.5% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $27,731, and the median income for a family is $41,753. Males have a median income of $31,614 versus $24,507 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,129. 23.6% of the population and 14.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 25.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Government and Politics

Tuscaloosa has strong-mayor variant mayor-council form of government, lead by a mayor and a seven-member city council. The mayor is elected by the city at-large and serve four-year terms. Council members are elected to single-member districts every four years as well. Neither the mayor nor the members of the city council is term-limited. All elected offices are nonpartisan.

The mayor administers the day-to-day operations of the city, including overseeing the various city departments, over whom he has hiring and firing power. The mayor also acts as ambassador of the city. The mayor sits in city council meetings and has a tie-breaking vote. The current Mayor of Tuscaloosa is Walt Maddox who was elected to office is September 2005. Prior to Maddox, Al DuPont had served as mayor for 24 years.

The city council is a legislative body that considers policy and passes law. The council also passes the budget for mayoral approval. Any resolution passed by the council is binding law. The majority of work in the council is done by committee, a usually consisting of a chairman, two other council members, and relevant non-voting city employees. The current members of the city council are:

  • District 1 - Bobby E. Howard
  • District 2 - Harrison Taylor
  • District 3 - Cynthia Lee Almond
  • District 4 - Lee Garrison
  • District 5 - Kip Tyner
  • District 6 - Bob Lundell
  • District 7 - William Tinker, III

Tuscaloosa, as the largest county seat in western Alabama, serves a hub of state and federal government agencies. In addition to the customary offices associated with the county courthouse, namely two District Court Judges, six Circuit Court Judges, the District Attorney and the Public Defender, several Alabama state government agencies have regional offices in Tuscaloosa, such as the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama State Troopers (the state police). Also, several federal agencies operate bureaus out of the Federal Courthouse in Tuscaloosa.

Tuscaloosa is located partially in both the 6th and 7th Congressional Districts, which are represented by Spencer Bachus (R) and Artur Davis (D), respectively. On the state level, the city is split among the 5th, 21st, and 24th Senate districts and 62nd, 63rd, and 70th House districts in the Alabama State Legislature.

Economy

Despite its image as a college town, Tuscaloosa boasts a diversied economy based on all sectors of manufacturing and service. 25% of the labor force in the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical area is employed by the federal, state, and local government agencies. 16.7% is employed in manufacturing; 16.4% in retail trade and transportation; 11.6% in finance, information, and private enterprise; 10.3% in mining and construction; and 9.2% in hosptiality. Education and healthcare account for only 7.2% of the area workforce with the remainder employed in other services.[3]

The city's industrial base includes Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Manufacturing (a division of Michelin), JVC America, Phifer Wire Products, Gulf States Paper Corporation, and the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc., assembly plant, which began assembling the Mercedes-Benz M-Class in 1997 and will begin assembling the R-Class Grand Sport Tourer, and its associated supplier plants.

Healthcare and education serve as the cornerstone of Tuscaloosa's service sector, which includes the University of Alabama, DCH Regional Medical Center, Bryce State Mental Hospital, Camp Partlow State Development Center, and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center.

The city is home to the region's two largest malls, University Mall and McFarland Mall, as a well as large array of retail outlets and a 16-screen movie theater.

Education

Education is a vital component of the city as Tuscaloosa is home to several colleges and schools. The University of Alabama is the dominant institution of higher learning. Enrolling approximately 22,000 students, UA has been a part of Tuscaloosa's identity since it opened its doors in 1831. Stillman College, which opened in 1875, is a historically Black liberal arts college located in west Tuscaloosa which enrolls approximately 1,200 students.

Additionally, Shelton State Community College, one of the largest in Alabama is located in the city. The schools enrolls 8,000 students from all backgrounds and income levels. While there students from all walks of life enrolled at Shelton, from senior citizens in continuing life classes to high school students earning college and high school credit through dual enrollment programs, the majority of Shelton State students are "traditional" students. They are usually either first-time college students earning associate degrees for transfer to four-year insititutions after graduation or UA and Stillman students enrolled in entry-level classes that they cannot or do not want to take at their home institutions.

The Tuscaloosa City School System serves the city. It is overseen by the Board of Education, which is composed of eight members elected by district and a chairman is elected by a citywide vote. The Board appoints a Superintendent to manage the day-to-day operations of the system. Operating with a $100 million budget, the system enrolls approximately 10,300 students. The system consists of 19 schools: 11 elementary neigborhood schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools (Paul Bryant High School, Central High School, and Northridge High School), and 2 specialty schools (the Tuscaloosa Center for Technology, a vocational school, and Oak Hill School for special needs students). In 2002, the system spent $6,313 per pupil, the 19th highest amount of the 120 school systems in the state.[4]

Media

Tuscaloosa is part of the Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Annistion television market, which is the 40th largest in the nation[5]. All major networks have a presense in the market. WCFT 33 is the ABC affliate, WIAT 42 is the CBS affiliate, WBRC 6 is the Fox affiliate, WVTM 13 is the NBC affiliate, WBIQ 10 is the PBS affiliate, WTTO 21 is the WB affiliate, and WABM 68 is the UPN affiliate. Additionally, WVUA 7, an independent station which was formerally affiliated with i, is operated by the University of Alabama.

Tuscaloosa is the 233rd largest radio market in the nation.[6]

The Tuscaloosa News is the major daily newpaper serving the city. Alternative newspapers include The Planet Weekly, City Magazine, and Tuscaloosa Business Ink.

Infrastructure

Health and medicine

File:Bryce Hospital Tuscaloosa Alabama USA.jpg
Bryce Hospital, which opened in 1861

DCH Regional Medical Center is the main medical facility in Tuscaloosa. Operated by the publicly-controlled DCH Healthcare Authority, the 610-bed hospital opened in 1916 as the Druid City Infirmary[7]. The emergency department at DCH operates a trauma center (it is not certified as an official trauma center by the American College of Surgeons, however) that serves all of west central Alabama and is one of the busiest in the state [8]. The DCH Healthcare authority also operates Northport Medical Center in neighoring Northport.

Other major medical centers in Tuscaloosa include the 702-bed Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Tuscaloosa and the 422-bed Bryce State Mental Hospital.

Transportation

Tuscaloosa is well connected to other parts of the country and the world via air, rail, road and sea. The city lies at the intersection of several highway-grade roadways, including three federal highways (US 11, US 43, and US 82), one major Alabama state highway (AL 69) and two duplexed (conjoined) interstates (I-20 and I-59).

The Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, on the the north side of the Black Warrior River west of downtown Northport, is equipped with two lighted runways (6499' and 4001') and provides full facilties for the general aviation which the airport mainly serves. The airport also fully supports private jetcraft, but passengers of commercial aircraft from Tuscaloosa embark at either the Birmingham International Airport, located 53 miles away on the east side of downtown Birmingham, or the much larger Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, located 210 miles away in Atlanta, Georgia.

Amtrak's Crescent line connects Tuscaloosa by rail to major cities along the east coast from New York to New Orleans. The Amtrak station is situated at 2105 Greensboro Avenue. Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern provide freight service to the area.

Barge traffic routinely transports goods along the Black Warrior River from Birmingham and Tuscaloosa to the Alabama State Docks at Mobile, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Via the Tenn-Tom Waterway, the city is connected to the Ohio River valley.

Points of interest

Notes and References

  1. ^ Tuscaloosa Area Climate. University of Alabama - Department of Mathematics. Accessed December 03, 2005.
  2. ^ Records and Averages - Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa Weather Forecasts on Yahoo! Weather. Accessed December 03, 2005.
  3. ^ Percentages calculated using data from Table of Employment Statistics. Alabama Department of Industrial Relations. Accessed December 06, 2005.
  4. ^ About Us: Students. Tuscaloosa City School System. Accessed November 24, 2005.
  5. ^ Nielsen Media Research Local Universe Estimates (US) Nielsen Media Research. Accessed December 27, 2005.
  6. ^ Arbitron Radio Market Rankings: Fall 2005 Arbitron. Accessed December 27, 2005.
  7. ^ The Licensed Bed figures were taken from data from the Hospital Directory of the Alabama Hospital Association. The DCH Health System website list the numbers of Licensed Beds at DCH Regional Medical Center to be 583.
  8. ^ Directory of Services: Trama Center. DCH Health System. Accessed November 26, 2005.

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